There are unmistakable flavors that, when presented in a traditional recipe like fried Manchego cheese, can pleasantly surprise you.
Many times, we try this type of recipe in traditional restaurants—or, why not, in the form of the famous cheese sticks—but these have nothing to do with good fried Manchego cheese or artisanal sheep’s cheese breaded and fried in EVOO.
In addition to a simple recipe, we also want to share some tips and tricks to make sure your fried Manchego cheese bites turn out perfect.
Ingredients for fried Manchego cheese
- Fresh artisanal sheep’s cheese from La Mancha or semi-cured Manchego cheese
- Egg
- Breadcrumbs
- Olive oil
- Jam for serving
In this case, we’re going to bread fresh artisanal sheep’s cheese, but it also works perfectly with semi-cured Manchego cheese.
The jam can be your choice, although it pairs very well with tomato jam or red pepper jam.
Add basil to fried cheese and you’ll be surprised
One version we sometimes make involves making small horizontal incisions in the cheese bites and inserting a fresh basil leaf.
This combination, together with tomato jam, makes fried Manchego cheese an amazing bite.
With all the ingredients ready, let’s get to work.
How to make fried Manchego cheese?
The most important thing is to have good raw materials, and Manchego cheese is essential. As you know, you can buy Manchego cheese from our online store.
Besides using semi-cured Manchego cheese Carpuela, you can also use fresh artisanal sheep’s cheese Gómez Moreno if you prefer a milder flavor.
That said, the first step is to cut the cheese: take a wedge of cheese and cut it into triangles about 1 cm thick.
Prepare 2 plates: in one, beat an egg (no need for salt—the cheese has enough flavor) and in the other, put plenty of breadcrumbs.
Breading the Manchego cheese for frying
The breading is key—it seals the cheese to prevent it from oozing out while frying.
For a crunchier result, we recommend double breading:
dip in egg, coat in breadcrumbs, and repeat.
Frying the Manchego cheese bites
Heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
Have a plate lined with paper towels ready to drain the excess oil.
Once the oil is hot, gently place several breaded cheese pieces in the pan. Let them brown on one side, flip them carefully, and once golden on both sides, remove them gently to avoid breaking them.
Jam to accompany fried Manchego cheese
As we mentioned, jam goes perfectly with these bites. Choose your favorite, though tomato or red pepper jam works especially well.
Arrange the cheese bites nicely on a plate, serve some jam on the side for guests to add as they wish, and hurry to enjoy this delicious appetizer before it cools down (or make more, because they’re irresistible).
What to pair with fried Manchego cheese?
If you like wine, it pairs well with a dry white or a young red, such as a Tempranillo.
If you prefer beer, a blonde or amber beer works nicely, depending on your taste.
We hope you enjoyed this recipe and give it a try, sharing with us your tips and experiences when preparing it.
